1. Field of Invention
My invention relates to boat, car, and multipurpose shelters specifically shelters that keep a car or boat protected from weathering elements.
2. Description of Prior Art
Originally, boat shelters were made to fit on flat ground. Rough terrain would cause the shelter to rock back and forth.
Prior art boat shelters have straight bases, that don't bend to fit the contours of the earth. U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,203 to Espinosa (1997) discloses base legs that are made from plastic pipe. These base legs can't contour to ruts, grooves, or small hills without causing the shelter to rock on uneven land which prevents stability of the shelter.
Another problem with prior art is that sufficient open or closed ends of the entrance or exit of the shelter haven't been designed all on a one-piece tarp. U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,203 to Espinosa (1997) limits the customer's choice of openings in the shelter. The tarp is connected around the shelter in a fixed position leaving both ends open. U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,980 to Wade (1983) has two open ends and no means to close either of those ends. The problem with having any open end is that it diminishes from the overall protection the shelter provides to what's parked or stored inside.
Another problem with entrances and or exits of shelters is that they are blocked partially by extra support pipes or wires. This prevents the customer from driving in and out from either end of the shelter. What if the customer desires to drive in one end and out the other so he doesn't have to hassle with reversing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,584 to Brown (1978) has pipes vertical to the ground directly blocking any entrance or exit to the shelter. In order to protect a boat, the shelter would have to literally be built around the boat or picked up and placed over the boat. U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,203 to Espinosa (1997) limits the customer's choice of openings in the shelter because on of the ends is blocked by support wires.
A further problem with prior art is that the support bars that run down the length of the shelter, to hold the arches from swaying, are locked into permanent position and are a prescribed amount. The problem with having horizontal support pipes permanently placed is that the customer has to spend extra money that could have been saved if he or she lives in a mild climate and the extra support pipes aren't needed. However, if he or she lives in an extreme climate, additional support pipes can be invested in.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,203 to Espinosa (1997) illustrates the support bars being held in a set position by connectors that are permanently positioned. This can also be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,584 to Brown (1978) where the only horizontal support pipe is permanently held into position with holes that other pipes are inserted and locked into place.
Another problem with arched shelters is that most arched shelters aren't stable on their own To hold the arches in place, prior art either holds the shape of the arches by the use of stakes in the ground, using cross-pipes that a tire has to hop over, or a series of wires that connect the two parallel base legs along various points.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,980 to Wade (1983) uses stakes at the base of each arch. The stakes have to be burrowed into the ground and could lose hold on soft soil or not dig into hard dirt or rock. U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,584 to Brown (1978) has a pipe that lays flat on the ground that the tires have to hop over. U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,203 to Espinosa (1997) has wires that hold the bends of the arches together that connects from one end of each arch to the other. The metal wire can snap up and injure somebody or cause damage to a vehicle if it rusted and snapped. Also, if the shelter were placed over a rut that a wire ran across, the wire then could whip up by running over it with a tire since it has tension.
Another problem that could exist in prior art is metal connectors such as braces, brackets, nuts or bolts, on the inside of the shelter which can scrape the paint off a vehicle such as a boat or car if the vehicle accidentally rubs the shelter.
A further problem that exists with most prior art shelters is lack of an easy method of disassembly into small enough components to relocate easily.
A further problem with prior art is that the manufacturer has to find ways to make new components that don't already readily exist in the market. This could make it difficult to for the customer to replace a part if the company goes out of business.
An additional problem with prior art is that there isn't a way to line up one shelter next to another and lock it into position to have a two or more car garage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,203 to Espinosa (1997) doesn't give a customer a means to connect more than one shelter juxtaposing each other in a fixed position. If two or more shelters weren't linked somehow, they could drift apart if they were bumped and the customer would always find him or herself lining them back up again.
Another problem with prior art is that they can be fixed in size and can't be added to if a customer upgrades the size of his or her boat. Conversely they can be fixed so they can't be reduced in size.
A further problem with prior art is that they can be fixed in shape so that a customer couldn't change it using the same components or a few extra of the same components in some cases. For example he or she couldn't change a long arched tunnel into a dome.
One more problem with prior art is that some lack an efficient way to weigh down the shelter in high winds.
All boat or car shelters heretofore known suffer from a number of one or more disadvantages:
a.) They have base legs that are stiff and designed to sit on flat ground. If the ground has hills, ruts, or grooves, the shelter could tilt or rock back and forth or have instability. PA1 b.) They have openings and closings for entrances and exits that haven't been designed for use on a one-piece tarp. Instead, there are permanently fixed openings or a separate unit has to be specially designed for a closing. PA1 c.) They have entrances or exits partially blocked by wires or pipes for additional support. This prevents the vehicle from driving in one end and out the other. PA1 d.) They have horizontal support pipes that are locked into fixed position and can't be subtracted or added to the shelter. This could cost the customer more money than necessary if he or she lived in a mild climate and didn't need the extra support. Most boat shelter manufacturers fix too many horizontal support pipes than are needed. The customer then doesn't have a choice on what he needs to spend based on climate. PA1 e.) They aren't stable on their own. To keep the arches in a fixed position, prior art uses stakes in the ground. Stakes can't be burrowed into rock or hard ground. They also won't be stable in soft soil. PA1 f.) They have cross-pipes to hold the arches that run along the ground and a tire would have to hop over. PA1 g.) They use cross wires that run along the ground and hold the arches in position. Cross wires can be dangerous if they run across a rut and a tire whips it up. They can chip paint they snap against the bottom of the vehicle. They can also rust and snap and cause injury. PA1 h.) They use metal connectors such as braces, brackets, nuts or bolts, that can accidentally scrape paint on a vehicle. PA1 i.) They are hard to disassemble and pack up if the customer wanted to relocate. PA1 j.) They have specialized parts that can't already be found on the market. This could make it hard for a customer if he or she needs to replace a component and the company went out of business. PA1 k.) They have specialized parts so if a part breaks the customer has to specially order a new part rather than finding it in a local hardware store. PA1 l.) They don't offer a means to line up more than one shelter to form a two or more car garage. Furthermore, in prior art, if a customer had two or more shelters lined up side by side without means of attachment, he or she would have to realign the shelters if one got bumped or knocked out of place. PA1 m.) They are fixed in size so that a customer can't add on or subtract from his or her shelter. PA1 n.) They are fixed in shape so a customer couldn't create additional shapes using the same components or sometimes a few more of the same components. PA1 o.) They come without devices to weigh down the shelter in high winds. PA1 a.) A boat shelter with base legs that bend in multiple points, both upwards and downwards, which can conform to the terrain of the earth. If the ground wasn't flat, the shelter would be able to sit on top of hills, grooves, ruts, and other parts of uneven terrain without rocking, or rocking that is significantly absorbed. PA1 b.) Both ends of the shelter can be opened or closed as an entrance or exit, or both or whatever combination the customer desires. Moreover, entrances and exits or openings and closings can be formed out of only one piece of a covering by using unique folds. PA1 c.) Both ends of the shelter are completely clear of support pipes or wires so that a vehicle isn't limited to only using one end of the shelter of an entrance and an exit. PA1 d.) The customer has a choice on how many structural support components he or she wants depending on climate. If there is good weather, less structural support can be purchased because there isn't the threat of high winds. PA1 e.) The boat shelter is stable on it's own. There doesn't have to be anything staked into the ground. That means that the shelter could be on soft soil without stakes that won't hold. Likewise the shelter could be on hard ground or rock that stakes can't dig into. PA1 f.) A vehicle can run in and out smoothly without having to hop cross-pipes with tire. PA1 g.) The shelter uses nylon or a like material for straps that hold the arches stable. The straps won't rust like prior art. Consequently, there wouldn't be the problem of a rusty wire snapping and whipping and possibly injuring somebody or causing damage to a vehicle or boat. Also, the straps are flat with the ground for a smooth ride in and out of the shelter rather than a tire having to hop over cross-pipes. Another benefit is that if a strap runs over a major rut and the tire whips it up, it won't cause damage unlike the metal wires. PA1 h.) Every part of the shelter that is exposed to the boat, vehicle or whatever is stored, is made fairly smooth and not jagged. This prevents accidental damage to the paint on the vehicle if it scrapes or rubs the side of the shelter. For example, opening a car door against a jagged metal bracket could scrape the paint. PA1 i.) The shelter contains parts that can simply be unscrewed or taken apart by other easy means. This makes it simple for the customer to pack up and move to a new location. PA1 j.) The manufacturing of the preferred embodiment of the boat shelter would be easier because most the components can already be found on the market. PA1 k.) If a part on the shelter breaks, it can be purchased most likely in a local market rather than having to order specialized parts. This would save the customer time waiting on a delivery. Moreover, most the components are fairly inexpensive. Additional money could be saved on shipping and handling if a customer needed to replace a part. PA1 l.) If a customer desired, he or she could purchase more than one instant boat garage and attach them together side by side. He could then have a two, three, or even four plus car or boat garage. PA1 m.) The shelter is comprised a plurality of segments and so it can be added onto or subtracted from at any time to a customized size. The width can be broadened or made narrower by using longer or shorter straps that connect the two base legs. PA1 n.) The shape of the shelter can be reconfigured from the preferred embodiment into a variety of other shapes such as a dome. PA1 o.) Weigh down devices could be attached for high winds. PA1 1.) If the customer wants to close off an end, he can take the excess tarp that drops over and fold it inward. The tarp can be tied down to hold the folds in place. PA1 2.) If the customer wanted the end to be open, the excess tarp that droops over each end could be folded back on whatever end the opening is desired. Since the tarp is rectangular, it can be folded back over the shelter and contour to the form of the shelter. To prevent the wind from blowing the tarp around, each side can be tied off. PA1 3.) In the preferred embodiment, the base legs are made out of trex or a hard non-rotting materiel. Trex is meshed plastic and wood. Since the base is exposed to earth mostly, it is necessary to use this type of materiel because trex does not rot like regular wood. Another durable quality about trex is that termites can't eat into it. Moreover, it can be drilled into like regular wood. Also it would lie flat to the ground and give the shelter more stability. PA1 4.) The tarp covers the entire boat or vehicle all around the shelter. So no matter which way the wind blows, the vehicle inside the shelter will receive the full benefits of protection.